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Characterization of obestatin- and ghrelin-producing cells in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas of rats: an immunohistochemical and electron-microscopic study

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Abstract

Both ghrelin and obestatin are derived from preproghrelin by post-translational processing. We have morphologically characterized the cells that produce obestatin and ghrelin in new-born and adult Sprague-Dawley rats that were freely fed, fasted, or subjected to gastric bypass surgery or reserpine treatment. Tissue samples collected from the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas were examined by double-immunofluorescence staining, immunoelectron microscopy, and conventional electron microscopy. Obestatin was present in the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, colon, and pancreas. In the stomach, differences were noted in the development of obestatin- and preproghrelin-immunreactive (IR) cells on the one hand and ghrelin-IR cells on the other, particularly 2 weeks after birth. Preproghrelin- and obestatin-IR cells were more numerous than ghrelin-IR cells in the stomach, suggesting the lack of ghrelin in some A-like cells. Most obestatin-producing cells in the stomach were distributed in the basal part of the oxyntic mucosa; these cells co-localized with chromogranin A (pancreastatin) and vesicle monoamine transporters type 1 and 2, but not with serotonin or histidine decarboxylase. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed the obestatin- and ghrelin-producing cells to be A-like cells, characterized by numerous highly electron-dense granules containing ghrelin and obestatin. Some granules exhibited an even electron density with thin electron-lucent halos, suggestive of monoamines. Feeding status, gastric bypass surgery, and reserpine treatment had no obvious effect on the A-like cells. In the pancreas, obestatin was present in the peripheral part of the islets, with a distribution distinct from that of glucagon-producing A cells, insulin-producing beta cells, and cells producing pancreatic polypeptide Y. Thus, obestatin and ghrelin co-localize with an anticipated monoamine in A-like cells in the stomach, and obestatin is found in pancreatic islets.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Trine Skoglund at the Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Laboratory Center (3rd Floor, East Side), Erling Skjalgssons Gate 1, NO-7006, Trondheim, Norway

    Chun-Mei Zhao, Marianne W. Furnes, Björn Stenström & Duan Chen

  2. Center for Obesity, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Trondheim, St. Olavs Hospital, NO-7006, Trondheim, Norway

    Bård Kulseng

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  1. Chun-Mei Zhao
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  2. Marianne W. Furnes
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  5. Duan Chen
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Correspondence to Chun-Mei Zhao.

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This study was supported by a grant from the Cancer Foundation of St. Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.

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Zhao, CM., Furnes, M.W., Stenström, B. et al. Characterization of obestatin- and ghrelin-producing cells in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas of rats: an immunohistochemical and electron-microscopic study. Cell Tissue Res 331, 575–587 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-007-0514-3

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